Keeping Lawns Green and Safe for Pets and Children

When it comes to fertilizing a lawn and keeping it weed-free the options are limitless; however, when it comes to doing that in a way that is safe for children and pets there are some limits. Once you have ordered your beautiful sod in Seattle, what is the best way to maintain it while protecting your children, pets, and local wildlife safe?

Hands-On Weeding Sod in Seattle

Weed and seed is not a good answer. The mix of herbicides becomes a pollutant to bodies of water in the area and contains dangerous chemicals for humans and animals. The chemicals that improve the grass also act as fertilizer for weeds, so it is a somewhat self-defeating system.

The best way to avoid weeds in a lawn is to hand pick them. Generally speaking, weeds can be easy to handle with a once-a-week pulling schedule. It does take some diligence to get to them before they spread, but that work is worth it. Avoiding the use of herbicides is the number one way you can keep your pets and children out of harms way when they play on the lawn.

If you must use herbicides, use them only on the affected area. Isolating the area will limit the probability of exposure. Look for pesticides that have compounds which break up once they dry.

Fertilizing Sod in Seattle

Each type of fertilizer has a different make up of ingredients, each with a different amount of time required before dogs and children can come into contact with the lawn.

• Liquid Fertilizers – These are typically mixed with water and should be safe for kids and animals once they are dry.
• Granulated Fertilizer – Make sure that these are not spread outside of the sod, such as onto or under decking. Watering the lawn dissolves the granules, making them inaccessible for pets and children—but only if they land in a spot that gets watered. After a thorough watering, the lawn should be safe for use in about 24-hours.

Follow the Instructions

Be sure to follow the instructions for fertilizer usage. Mixing the right amount of water and not using more fertilizer than is recommended are important ways to keep everyone safe. When in doubt, it never hurts to wait 48-hours before allowing children and pets on the lawn. Have the adults stay off of it as well, as chemicals can get tracked into the house.